Reclosable carton



Nov. 21, 1967 E. B. oUTwATl-:R 3,353,740

RECLOSABLE CARTON Filed Deo. 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Shee l T. N l N NOV. 21, 1967 E. B. oUTWATr-:R 3,353,740

RECLOSABLE CARTON Filed Dec. 28, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v United States Patent Office 3,353,740 Patented Nov. 21, 1967 3,353,740 RECLOSABLE CARTON Eric B. Outwater, New York, NY., assignor to International Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a company of New York Filed Dec. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 517,028 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-51) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to improved collapsible paperboard cartons for various products. More particularly it relates to tamperproof, reclosable cartons made from a single blank formed of paperboard or like semi-rigid lsheet material for packaging ice cream or any other relatively heavy food product.

`AOne object of the invention is to provide a strong packaging carton using a minimum amount of paperboard or sheet stock material.

A Another object of the invention is to provide a carton having the above characteristics which can be shipped from the manufacturer to the user in a collapsed condition and yet be easily squared or set up and filled at the users plant using presently available machinery.

A third object of the invention is to provide a carton having the above characteristics which is also` tamperproof and yet once opened is repeatedly easily and quickly reclosable to protect the contents remaining therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will appear from the description given below in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment,

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the inside of a paperboard blank from which a carton incorporating the features of .the invention is formed;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the blank of FIG. 1 partly folded, partly glued and in a collapsed condition ready for shipment to a packer or distributor;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton of FIG. 2 after it has been squared or raised from its collapsed condition, with arrowsA showing the direction and order in which the various flaps are folded to form the finished carton;

FIG. 4 is a perspective View of the carton in a finished, closed and sealed condition;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an open finished carton after the tear strip has been removed.

Referring now to FIG. 1 -of the drawings, the carton is formed from a blank 10 which is preferably made of paperboard stock, though it may also be made of any other similar semi-rigid sheet material. Blank 10 is cut and scored along fold lines 12-38 and cut lines 40-53 to provide a series of panels and flaps which comprise the carton. The panels include a front panel 54, at opposite end edges of which there are two front panel end aps 56 and 58 hinged connected with front panel 54 along fold lines 12 and 14 respectively. At its inner edge intermediate its ends, front panel 54 is hingedly connected to a bottom panel 60 along fold line 16. At opposite end edges of bottom panel 60 there are two inner end wall flaps 62, 64 hingedly connected to panel 60 at fold lines 18 and 20. Similarly, at its edge opposite fold line 16, bottom panel 60 is hingedly connected to a rear panel 66 along fold line 22, and rear panel 66 has rear panel aps 68, 70, hingedly connected at opposite end edges along fold lines 24, 26. Also, at its edge opposite fold line 22, rear panel 66 is connected to a top or cover panel 72, along fold line 28, and cover panel 72 has cover panel flaps 74, 76 which are hingedly connected to cover panel 72 at its opposite end edges along fold lines 30, 32.

At the front edge of cover panel 72 opposite fold line 28, a closure panel 78 is hingedly attached along fold line 34. Closure panel 78 has closure panel liaps 80, 82 hingedly connected at its `opposite end edges along fold lines 36, 38. Included as part of closure panel 78 is an intermediate portion comprising a tear st-rip 84 defining two vertically spaced fracturing scores extending throughout its length below the closure panel fiaps, and a bottom portion 86.

Front panel end flaps 56, 58 are separated from inner end wall flaps 62, 64 by cut lines 40 and 42, and inner end wall flaps 62, 64 are similarly separated from rear panel flaps 68, 7i) by cut lines 44 and 46. In addition, rear panel flaps 68, 70 are separated from cover panel flaps 75, 76 by cut lines 48, 50, while cover panel flaps 74, 76 may be separated from closure panel flaps 8l), 82 by cut lines 52, 53. Flaps 56, 58 and 62, 64 are preferably rectangular in shape, while fiaps 68, 70 and 74, 76 and 80, 82 are preferably tapered along one edge. Flaps 68, 70 narrow towards their outer free edges due to the existence of taper cuts 49, 51 beginning respectively at cut lines 48, 50 a short distance from fold lines 24, 26. Similarly, flaps 74, 76 narrow towards their outer free edges and have taper cuts 55 and 57 which begin respectively at cut lines 52, 53 a short distance from fold lines 30, 32. Flaps 80, 8-2 are preferably longer than flaps 74, 76 and have similar tapered cuts immediately opposite those on flaps 74, 76 as seen in FIG. 1. The purpose of these last two sets of cuts is to give the carton a pleasing appearance Vand to prevent its corners from inadvertently catching' on adjacent edges when the carton has been erected and lfilled.

Referring again to FIG. 1, flaps 56 and 58 have L- shaped vertical areas 59, 61 adjacent cut lines 40, 42 on which adhesive is placed to maintain the ends of the squared carton closed and in a sealed condition after it has been filled. Likewise, and for the same purpose, fiaps 68, 70 have L-shaped vertical areas 69, 71 containing adhesive material adjacent cut lines 44, 46. To maintain the cover end flaps 74, 76 in their appropriate positions in the filled and sealed carton, each flap 74, 76 preferably has tWo separated areas 75, 77 with respect to ap 74, and'79, 81 with respect to flap 76 on which adhesive material has been placed. Areas 77, 81 are preferably located on the corners 83, 85 of fiaps 74, 76 opposite taper cuts 49, 51, and these corners 83, 85 are preferably loosely connected to the main portion of the iiaps being, partially severed therefrom by cuts 87, 89. The adhesive on all of these areas is preferably of the heat sealing type and is adapted to seal two adjacent paperboard surfaces together when heat and a degree of pressure is applied.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the collapsed condition of the carton may be achieved from the blank of FIG. 1 by lifting front bottom panel 54 upwardly With its associated flaps and to the left onto bottom panel 60 and its associated flaps 62, 64 about fold line 16. When this is done the free edge 88 of front panel 54 (edge 88 is opposite fold line 16) will line on bottom panel 60 etc. as shown in phantom in FIG. 1. Front closure panel 78 together with cover panel 72 and their associated aps are then lifted and folded to the iight along fold line'28. The bottom p0rtion 86 of closure panel 78 then lies adjacent the middle of front panel 54 as seen in FIG. 2 and is adhesively secured thereto. In this condition of the carton, both tear strip 84 and the upper portion of front closure panel 78 lie adjacent to, but remain free of adhesive securernent to front panel 54. The carton is now ready for shipment to the distributor or user.

Referring to FIG. 3 in which the carton is squared preparatory to lling, end aps 56, 62, 68 and 74 are positioned consecutively at right angles to each other as are g end aps 58, 64, 70 and 76. Closure panel 78 lies in the same plane with its associated flaps and is adjacent the outer face of front panel 54 and its aps 80, 82 lie parallel with and adjacent to flaps 56, 58.

The carton is then illed and its ends are closed and sealed. For the purpose of description and because the closing and sealing steps are the same for each end of the carton, the closing will be described in connection with only one end of the carton. Inner end wall flap 62 is rst folded upwardly and inwardly about fold line 18 to a position at right angles to bottom panel 60 as shown by the arrow A in FIG. 3. Next, front panel end flap 56 and rear panel end flap 68 are folded towards each other about fold lines 12, 24 respectively, as shown by arrows B, C in FIG. 3.

When adhesively secured to inner end wall flap 62, each of flaps 56, 68 comprises an outer end wall flap, the free edges of which are spaced away from each other in order to save paperboard as seen in FIG. 4. Next, closure panel end ap 80 is folded inwardly on top of flap 56 about fold line 36 as shown by arrow D in FIG. 3. If desired, and it may be preferable in some cases, flaps 56 and 80 may both be folded inwardly simultaneously and together about their respective fold lines. Cover panel flap 74 is then folded downwardly about fold line 30, as shown by arrow E in FIG. 3, so as to be in face to face relation with flaps 56, 68 and 80. The carton is now fully closed and heat is applied to the carton ends to activate the adhesive so as to permanently seal flaps 56, 68 to flap 62; flaps 58, 70 to flap 64; cover panel end flap corners 83, 85 to aps 68, 70, and cover panel end flaps 74, 76 to closure panel end aps 80, 82. In this condition the carton is tamperproof because as seen in FIG. 4, any attempts to open it will either tear the glued portions of the carton or sever the tear strip 84, both of which would be visible to the naked eye.

When the carton has been filled, sealed, and delivered to the purchaser of the ice cream, it may be opened by grasping the left hand end 90 of the tear strip (FIGS. 1 4) and pulling it to the right, thereby severing the tear strip from the closure panel and separating bottom portion 86 from closure panel 78. Tear strip 84 may then be thrown away and the carton opened by lifting the upper portion of closure panel 78 upwardly to a position such as shown in FIG. 5. As this occurs, cover panel end flap corners 83, 85 will be torn from cover panel end flaps 74, 76, giving another indication that the. carton has been tampered with. With the cover up, the contents of the carton may be easily removed. In addition, the carton may be reclosed by simply pushing cover panel 72 downwardly so that once again tlaps 74, 76 and 80, 82, together with 4 the upper portion of front closure panel 78, will lie in face to face relation with the outer surfaces of the flaps and panels which form the front and end walls of the carton. It should be clear that the carton may be opened and closed many times using this construction without weakening the structure.

To improve the ability of the carton to carry foods such as ice cream, both surfaces of the carton may be covered with a layer of wax in a conventional manner.

Though one embodiment of the carton has been described and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that what has been disclosed is merely illustrative of the essential features of the invention included within the scopey of the appended claims. Other embodiments are also possible.

What is, claimed is:

1. A tamperproof, reclosable, collapsible carton container for ice cream and other products, said carton being formed of a single blank suitably cut and scored to provide hingedly connected front, rear and bottom panels, a pair of inner end panel flaps connected to opposite end edges of said bottom panel, a pair of front panel flaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of said front panel, a pair of rear panel flaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of said rear panel, a cover panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear panel, a pair of cover panel tlaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of said cover panel, a closure panel hingedly connected to the front edge of said cover panel, and a pair of closure panel aps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of said closure panel, said front and rear panel aps at each end of the carton being adhered to said inner end panel flaps and extending towards each other but ending in a spaced apart non-abutting relation, said closure panel aps being adhesively secured in face to face relation with said cover panel aps to connect said closure panel and cover panel flaps at their adjacent edges, said closure panel having vertically spaced fracturing scores positioned below said closure panel flaps and extending throughout the length of said closure panel, said closure panel also having a lower portion beneath the lower of said fracturing scores which portion is adhesively secured to said front panel.

2. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said front and rear panel flaps are adhesively secured at their inner faces to the outer faces of said inner end panel aps, and said closure panel aps are adhesively secured at their outer faces to the inner faces of said cover panel flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,218,509 10/ 1940 Goodyear 229-51 3,131,851 5/1964 Pace 229-51 3,165,254 1/1965 Moore 229-51 3,197,114 7/ 1965 Holmes 229-51 3,206,101 9/1965 Holmes 229-51 3,252,651 5/ 1966 Holmes 229-51 3,263,899 8/1966 Colluura et al. 229-51 3,281,055 10/1966 Buttery et al. 229-51 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

DAVIS T. MOORI-IEAD, Examiner. 

1. A TAMPERPROOF, RECLOSABLE, COLLAPSIBLE CARTON CONTAINER FOR ICE CREAM AND OTHER PRODUCTS, SAID CARTON BEING FORMED OF A SINGLE BLANK SUITABLY CUT AND SCORED TO PROVIDE HINGEDLY CONNECTED FRONT, REAR AND BOTTOM PANELS, A PAIR OF INNER END PANEL FLAPS CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, A PAIR OF FRONT PANEL FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID FRONT PANEL, A PAIR OF REAR PANEL FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID REAR PANEL, A COVER PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID REAR PANEL, A PAIR OF COVER PANEL FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID COVER PANEL, A CLOSURE PANEL HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE FRONT EDGE OF SAID COVER PANEL, AND A PAIR OF CLOSURE PANEL FLAPS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE END EDGES OF SAID CLOSURE PANEL, SAID FRONT AND REAR PANEL FLAPS AT EACH END OF THE CARTON BEING ADHERED TO SAID INNER END PANEL FLAPS AND EXTENDING TOWARDS EACH OTHER BUT ENDING IN A SPACED APART NON-ABUTTING RELATION, SAID CLOSURE PANEL FLAPS BEING ADHESIVELY SECURED IN FACE TO FACE RELATION WITH SAID COVER PANEL FLAPS TO CONNECT SAID CLOSURE PANEL AND COVER PANEL FLAPS AT THEIR ADJACENT EDGES, SAID CLOSURE PANEL HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED FRACTURING SCORES POSITIONED BELOW SAID CLOSURE PANEL FLAPS AND EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID CLOSURE PANEL, SAID CLOSURE PANEL ALSO HAVING A LOWER PORTION BENEATH THE LOWER OF SAID FRACTURING SCORES WHICH PORTION IS ADHESIVELY SECURED TO SAID FRONT PANEL. 